Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-12-09
NATIONAL AFFAIRS :!
DOINGS AND SAYINGS IN
WASHINGTON.

IN THE COURT ROOM-CONGREss-
SWEARING THEM IN DRAWING FOR
sEATs-THE NEW MEMBER FROM THE
TENTH VIRGINIA DIsTRICT-MRs.
CLEVELAND AT CHURCH-BoNNETs.
&C., &C.
Especial Correspondence of the Stanton
VINDICAToR
WASHINGTON, Dec 7.
TIE last few days have been stirring
telegraph has flashed the bare facts with
many of the main points to most of the
readers of the INDICATOR, there are
many interesting details left for me and
do not propose to selfshly monopolze
them. but will divide with you.
THE COUPON DECISION.
Since the great decision by the Court
of Appeals on Monday, the Virginians of
Washington and in Washington have been
the happiest men here. If you don't hap
pen TO know him you can tell q Virginlap
| when you meet BIN by his smiling counte
nance, that is, the great majority of them.
those who really have the old States WEI
fare at heart and if you pass one hurriedly
on the avenue and don't have time to stop
and talk, hearty hand shake, "How do
you feel?" a smile and good enough"
| tells the tale.
IN THE COURT ROOM.
| The writer secured good seat inside
the bar fifteen minutes before the Judges
came in and it was we'll he did. All the
seats were soon occupied and then the
standing room till it was packed with al
| most solid Virginia delegation. Shortly
! afterwards Hon. Ran. Thicker came III
| looking rather nervous for him. I asked
| him what he thought of the case? Said
| he, Il am not batting anything on it, bat
feel very confident of a favorable decl-
son.''
| just as the two hands of the big clock over
| the chair of the Caief Justice came togeth-
er at II, the crier nnOunced the appI zach OF
| the ugust court, and d few seconds after
the eight Justices. robed in their flowing
black silk gowns filed in and took their
seats in silence.
| After the reading Of two Or three decis-
ans in cases of minor impOr tanc3, al d
cd from Cnief Justice Waite, justice
stanley Mathews commenced reading the
| l. cision III tie celebrated case. AS he
| read, it was study to mark the expression
on the faces of those | knew and even of
| those did not know. Hon. John Goode,
| who Sat on my left, nudged my elbow and
| Whisper d, ''Tba5 LOOKS bad to begin wi b
Stanley Mathews delivers the opinion y
| Mr.. r. W Burke. on my right. whisper
| d. Il done like that that is Stanle,
| Mathews " You recollect Mathews gave
be opinion of the Court in 1856 against
| Virginia. Ran Tucker looked very grave
| out did not take his eyes off of the Justice 5
! ace. Attorney General Ayres sat nea,
| Tucker, with w. W. Gordon between
them, and neither one could have looked
] more serious if the life OF Il client had
lung in the balances. Gen. Eppa Hunton
| and VIM. Fl. Payne looked also as intent
! if the cas8 vas their own. ". l.. Royal,
| who Was there too, locked encouraged
| ind hopeful. John Scott, Of Fauquier,
1
aonwealth. looked nervous and breathed
asst. Judge McCabe, of Loudoun, the
| 'ther one. was not there; he had missed
! lis train. but arrived later. Besides these,
1 [ noticed Capt Sheets, editor of the Lees
| ourg 'Washingtonlan, with his hand up
so his ear; Capt, Miller, of Rappahannock
| tor long time Chairman of the County
| Democratic Committee; W. A. Maury,
| Assistant Attorney General, and Mr.. Ca
| DELL, Virglnian, who is at the head of "a
emale school here, and he even had "a
ium Der of his pupils with him.
| THE SUSPENSE.
| The opinion Was long one and very
I elaborate, and it was half an hour before
he best lawyer there could tell which way
| t was song. The Court had given JUS
Ice Mathews this opportunity of setting
| himself right, and he was doing it well !;
md we could not tell whether he Was
Strengthening his previous position or pre-
oaring to occupy a new one. Mr.. Goode
viii pered again: Il am afraid he is going
against u.s., and actually looked PALE
And he was not the only one; / know |
| felt pale.
| RELIEF.
| At last the Justice made use of an ex-
| preston which was unmiStakable as to its
meaning, and you could hear the sigh of
| relief that came from those nearest. [
nad been watching Mr. Tucker closely all
his time for some sign. Through the half
| lour he had not moved. Now he turned
| mis- head slightly, looked sidewise at US,
and slyIy winked bis off eye. knew then
| hat he had seen even more than l had.
and had almost jumped up to run to the
| telegraph room and wire you ''It's all
| right"
| From that on, the opinion cams stron ger
ind stronger. Almost every point made
| by the counsel for the State was one by
one elaborated, strengthened and cinch-
I'd. until finally the grind climax was
| reached wherein it was announced that
1.-THE restraint order and all subsequent
| proceedings under it. i1cluding the arrest
and imprisonment of the petitioners. were
| illegal and without authority, and the
Court directs that the petitioners be al
| once discharged. With that there was
what is unusual in this grave court-such
decided sir that order had to be deman-
ded. But the Virginians soon found their
way out into the lobby, where they could
shake hands and congratulate each other.
| AFTERTHOUGHTs.
| Everybody says the thing is settled now.
| No more trouble with the bond holders.
! John T. Harris said tonight: The thing
| is readjusted ''in the cool :" at least Vir-
ginia will go whooping. The only fear
now is that all these fellows will come